Releasable coupling device



July 11, 195o G, T, H, ENQUlsT 2,514,569

RELEASABLE COUPLING DEVICE fl/y Vf/yro 5* P a 5 5 um July ll, 19,50 G. T. H. ENQulsT 2,514,569

RELEASBLE COUPLING DEVICE Filed NOV. 16, 1945 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 f/ 0&7.

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Patented July 11, 1950 RELEASABLE COUPLING DEVICE Gista Thure Harry Enquist, Hammarbyhojden, Sweden Application November 16, 1945, Serial No. 629,067 In Sweden September 1, 1944 4.l claims.

'Ihis invention relates to a coupling device for engaging a shaft with and disengaging it from a surrounding sleeve member in which device Wedging clamps are adapted to lock between the shaftand the surrounding member, the shaft and the surrounding member being axially slidable in relation to each other along contacting surfaces. According to the invention the contacting surfaces of the shaft and the surrounding member are each provided with a groove, one groove housing a freely rotatable and axially guided ring the other groove forming a cam race for anumber of clamps axially guided in said other groove. The axially guided clamps connect the shaft with the surrounding member and alternatively one of the slidable shaft and sleeve members with the freely rotatable ring by wedging at their relative rotation according to the axial displacement of the shaft to the surrounding member. The coupling device may be provided with a rotatable shaft and a fixed surrounding member by means of which the shaft is arrested to the lixed surrounding member and disengaged from it. Alternatively the shaft may be fixed and the surrounding member freely rotatable in which case the surrounding member may be arrested to the shaft or disengaged from it. v In a further modification the shaft and the surrounding member are freely rotatablel whereby the surrounding member by wedging may be engaged to rotate with the shaft.

-l`The member surrounding the shaft may consist of a sleeve or a ring, a Wheel, e. g. a cog-Wheel, a band or belt pulley, etc. or have any other convenient form. The coupling device according to the invention is principally advantageous in that the wedging is effected in every position so that an exact engaging, arresting and disengaging may be obtained without any friction or back lash. For example great advantages can be reached by using the invention in a cog-Wheel transmission gear inasmuch as a gearing change is achieved exactly without any back lash.

In the accompanying drawings, which show by way of illustration or example, different forms of the device:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of one the 4device in engaged position.

Fig. 2 is a cross section corresponding to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the structure shown in Figs. l and 2 in disengaged position.

Fig. 4 is a cross section corresponding to Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross section showing a variant form of the clamps producing the wedging eifect.

form of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of a cog-wheel transmission gear provided with coupling devices according to the invention. 1 l

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of of the coupling device. l

Fig. 10 is a cross section taken. on 'the line IIII,` Fig. 9.

,In the embodiment shown in'Figs. 1-4 a rotatable shaft 6 has a groove forming a non-circular cross section 'I on the shaft and in the space bey tween this recessed part 1 and a sleeve 3 surrounding the shaft clamps 2 are inserted, egg. rollers or balls. The sleeve which may be fixed or rotatable is provided with an inner groove' housing a freely rotatable ring 4. Betweenvthe pairs of clamps lying on each-side of the noncircular cross section of thev shaft separating springs are provided. To hold the freely rotatable ring 4 in its place in the sleeve 3, the sleeve may be provided -With a flanged ring,threaded.on its end. According to the axial displacement .of the shaft 6 of the coupling devicein relation to the sleeve 3, or vice versa, wedging is effected in one position (Figs.`12) between the non-circular cross section 'l ofthe shaft forming a cam race for the clamps 2 and the surrounding sleeve 3 by turning of the shaft, the shaft being engaged with a-.further form the sleeve 3, while in the other position (Figs. 3-4) Wedging is effected between the non-circularsection l and the freely rotatable ring l by meansof the clamps 2. n In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the space between the non-circular section 'l ofthe vShaft and the surrounding sleeve is partly filled up by four clamps 9 each of Whichcorresponding to one-fourth ofthe cam forming groove, is machined into the shaft. The pairs of clamps 9 on each side of the oval section l are separated by pressure springs 8.

Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal section and Fig, 7 a cross section according to the line I-I in Fig..6 of another modification of the' couplingdevce which is provided with two sleeves Il .andl 29" in each of which shafts .26 and 22 are inserted and prevented from turning in relation t0 thecorres sponding sleeves .by longitudinal grooves and prof jections l0 and 2|. The sleeve 2li xed to one of the shafts 22 is provided with a non-circular cross section 24, here as shown of a square shape. In the space between the bottom of the groove and a coupling sleeve I3, I9 surrounding the two 23 which enters a longitudinal groove 25 in thesleeve il surrounding the shaft 23., Eor the. mounting of the sleeve I3, I9 it is divided into two parts I3 and I9 fastenedatogetherrby;screws..

I8. The displacement of the coupling sleeve in: axial direction may suitablvbe .limited ,.by, a ring, I'I of bearing metal xed ina groovetinthe` sleeve 20.

As a further example of a device accordingwto the invention Fig. 8 shows a transmission gear.

Th'eagear housingisdividedfinto two halves-28, 34 bearing two shafts 21, 44, ornwhich `cogwheels 2.9,.3,-:3|-; 32,133; respectively 44%3,-36,4l7, `48, 49 'are arranged. The shafts 21, 44 are movable to# gether in :axial directionifby fan :operating :bar 39,

which:actsfsimultaneouslyvon the :two lshafts 2 1, 44 with a connection .3.8gig4.' Oncorrespondingl placesrtheeshafts:21,144 are provided with recessed non-circular cross se1ctionsf31g 4-'2 -andfr in the recesses'fclamps36;v 43 arefinserted' which by a Wedging eiect lock to the shafts one or another ofnrthe pairs of corresponding;cogfwheelg 29 and 45,? `3s,.`and;4G`,-' 3l yandai-Ig 3-2l and 48; and 33 and 49;: respectively:A Forrintere'releasing the,- shafts freelyrotatablezrings 41V` areprovided according,ito-tli^e;invention within; the bearingsriof the respective shaftsiin .the 4halfidof the: gear housings.;

FigssQ and lshow a'devicezin whichA the surroundingv member :is vprovidedfwit'h vthe noni-circulart'cross sectionzforming; the -camfrace for the cla-mpsandFig; 91 gives a longitudinal section while'Fig; 10 Ashowsfta .crossxsection :according to the lii'efI'I-Ll--II in;Fig;g 9. Oneiendof fthe vshaft 50 iscutidowntoa round tap towhich a sleeve 55" isy fastened enclosing .airing-"5I freely rotatable round Sthe: tap155a- Theringffl may consist of aball. bearing-as shownlrin the figure. The sleeve 5521`isisurrounde'dlby a member consisting of-a cogswheelf5211andhaving itsV inner portion pro vided-with anon'acircularicross section vl54; This cross. section has;v a chiey square Vshape and l:in thespacel between that` square .cross sectionfand theisleeve; clamps fET'aref inserted vwhich are separated by springs 58. One side 53.1ofithercoge wheel may be dismountable forinsertion'of the clampsrfl."

`The invention may be variedwithin the limits given-byrtherclaims following :hereinafter` and the shown examples aretobe 'consideredsolely as illustrative as regards the:possibilities-of "using'the invention:` Thev nom-circular cross section may haveany number of wedging surfacessand clamps depending'on the desired'number'ofwedge angles andthe v form of 4the:Wedgi-ngparts.f..

1I Acoupling':device.comprisingla shaft meme berA andv a1surroundingleevemember having con'- tactingsurfaces andrbeir'ig.axially slidablein 'rela'- tiorr to.f.-each': .i other; thessaid contacting surfaces being provided each with a groove, one groove housing a freely rotatable and axially guided ring, the other groove forming a cam race for a number of clamps housed axially guided in said other groove, the said clamps connecting the said shaft with the said surrounding member and alternatively one of the said slidable members with ther` said axially` guided ringo-by wedginggat their relative Vrotation according to the axial displacement of the said shaft to the said surrounding member.

2.. Acouplingdevice comprising a freely rotatable shaft and a fixed surrounding sleeve memberihavingztcontactin-g surfaces, the said rotatable `shaft being axially slidable in relation to the said fixedsurroundinggmember and the said contactingsurfaces being provided each with a groove. one groove housing a freely rotatable and axially guidedring, the other groove forming a cam race for a number of clamps housed axially guided in said..v other groove-z the.:v said: clamps:` connecting thezsaifd rotatablerashafti with",athensaidrxedusurgl rounding `'member and"alternativelywithrtheiSaid; axal'lyfguided.. ring:;by Wedging;accordingltoathe: axial,J displacement of the :saidrotatablershaft :.to'

thersaidsurroundingtmember.;

3. A coupling-.device -comprisingga 1'ixedrshaft and a'reelyY rotatable.surroundingrisleevef .fmember having contacting surfaces, ,thesaid:rotatable7 Surrounding members beingraxiallygslidablein lation to thesaidnxedL-shaftandfthe said. con-.r1

tacting; surfaces being.; provided each with., afv

groove; one, groo'vahousingf. afreely, rotatable` and axial1yguidedring,,the .other groove form-f` ing-a camY race-fora number of clamps:.housedl axially guided: in said other.grooveptheesaid clamps connecting ,thesaid .'xedsshaft wi-thl--fthet said rotatable .surround-ing.- memberf anda-:alternas:1 tively with the vsaid .axially guidedringgby fwedg-e ing according .1 to ...ther axial displacement ofl thez. said fixed-1` shaftto -the.-.said=. rotatable surrounds ingmember.

4.` A couplingrdevice comprising a freely-.trom tatable vshaft and` -,a .freely rotatable..surroundingy sleeve'I member having contacting ysurfaces. and. being `.axially slidable in relationto. each fother; theA said ,contacting surfaces being, provided :each Witha groove, .onegroovehousing..a freelyy rofv tatable and ,axially vguided. ring,Y .the..other.groove`.. forming acam. race ,fora number` ofH clampsl housed axially guidedin saidlother. groovethe, said clamps `engagingthe. saidsurrounding member to rotatewiththe saidrotatable.shaftand alternatively disengaging.. thesaid surrounding( member from the saidrotatabl. shaft according'.v

to the ,axial` displacement'-offthe saidllrotatabl, shaft to the -sad'surrounding member.

Gs'rA THuRElHARRY-:ENQUISrr EEFERENGES Y- GITE!) 1 Ther following references are. offlrecordln le ofthis patent:

UNITED. STATESiPATENTS z Number Name Date 1,680,751 Spase r Angl'14519285 2,291,151'- July 28541942 2,382,331 Peterson 'et al." Aug-1:14? 1945' 

